Fragile Memories
by Lilyana
Summary: Angel loses his memory and finds himself attracted to a certain brunette, much to the dismay of Buffy. Season 3 AU fic. C/A **chapter four up!!**
1. The Third Wheel

Title: Fragile Memories Author: Lilyana lilyana_vamp@yahoo.com  
  
Disclaimer: Whedon, Greenwalt, ME, all them, not me  
  
Summary: Answer to a challenge given to me by tipdip. Cordy has a crush on Angel, but he and Buffy can barely tolerate her presence. Angel loses his memory and then the fun begins.  
  
Couple: B/A (not for long, I promise!), C/A  
  
Rating: PG right now, R in the future Category: Season 3 BtVS. Adventure. Romance. Not sure what else yet. Spoilers: None Author's Notes: If you want to read the full, smut containing version, check over at stranger-things.net !!!  
  
Part One The Third Wheel  
  
Cordelia sat at the table with her chin resting on her hands. She was bored. She was annoyed. No, actually, she was downright pissed. She had been dragged along on yet another 'patrol' with Buffy and Angel so that she could be the bait. She was getting sick of being the bait. More to the point, she was really sick of being the third wheel.  
  
"Do you think this is a good idea?" she heard Buffy ask Angel and strained to hear what the answer would be.  
  
"I know she isn't your favorite person, and she's not on top of my list, but she's the only one that can pull it off."  
  
Buffy nodded. "Willow would probably be too scared, nothing against that, and Xander.well seeing you and Xander getting all cuddly would just damage me permanently."  
  
"But you don't mind me getting all cuddly with Cordelia?" Angel asked, a hint of jealousy in his voice.  
  
"This is Cordelia we're talking about. I know I don't have anything to worry about," Buffy reassured him and wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing him lovingly.  
  
Cordy coughed in interruption. "Okay, not that I don't want to see you two slobber all over each other, because I don't, but can we just get this over with? Some of us here ido/i have a life." She pointed a finger in Angel's direction. "And I mean that literally for you."  
  
Buffy rolled her eyes. "Yeah yeah, let's do it." Buffy led the group out of the Bronze and into the darkness that was Sunnydale at night.  
  
*******************************  
  
"Cordelia, I don't think this is what Buffy had in mind," Angel whispered harshly as the brunette groped him mercilessly.  
  
"Yeah, well, I had better plans for this evening too, which did not include feeling up a guy who's been dead for 240 years," she hissed back and squeezed his ass firmly, causing him to jump a little. She had to admit she enjoyed the groping though. Angel was a major hottie, even if he was undead.and dating Buffy.and prone to evil-ness. iWell, no guy's perfect!/i "Just keep your mouth shut and play along so we can all go home."  
  
Angel growled and Cordy glared at him. "Don't you growl at me Buddy. I'll dust your ass.of course then I'd have to send this dress to the drycleaners and the one that Daddy has them sent to never does a good enough job so I'm always stuck with reminders of what nasty you two had me luring-" she babbled.  
  
Angel couldn't stand it any longer. He had to do something to shut her up. Anything to stop the incessant yapping.  
  
Buffy watched from behind the bushes, waiting for the demon to show itself. It liked to pray on couples stealing a few moments to themselves in the darkness. Some people just didn't learn that you didn't go out at night in Sunnydale. The scene that unfolded before her caused her to drop her sword on shock, horror and disgust.  
  
Angel was kissing Cordelia! Her boyfriend was kissing Queen C! She watched in morbid fascination at the sight, unable to tear her eyes away. She couldn't even move or shout out a warning until it was too late.  
  
The demon made its attack without Angel even sensing him. It grabbed Cordy around the waist and ripped her out of his arms, which had somehow entangled themselves around her voluptuous body. He growled at the sudden loss of warmth, forgetting for a moment who it was that he had been kissing, and then saw the demon trying to make its escape.  
  
He chased it down and swept its feet out from underneath it with the blunt side of his broadsword. Cordelia landed with a loud thud underneath it.  
  
"Thanks a lot!" she yelled and tried to push her captor off. "My Knight in Shining Armor," she grumbled sarcastically. "Letting me get kidnapped by some demon, slime and tentacles and all and then knocking him down on top of me. Could you be any less efficient?"  
  
Angel tried to ignore her and hacked at the demon. Slime sputtered from severed limbs, covering a now very angry teenage girl. "Thanks a lot!"  
  
"Maybe if you'd shut up, I'd be able to kill this thing!" He stabbed through the demon's body, the blade barely missing Cordelia's own torso.  
  
"What the hell?! What are you trying to do, kill me?!"  
  
"The thought had occurred to me," he answered and pulled his sword out. He pulled the limp form off of Cordy and reached down a hand to help her up.  
  
"Pfft. I don't need help from a deranged vampire," she refused and pulled herself to her feet. She looked down at her ruined clothing and groaned. "This dress cost $400 dollars!" Cordy looked up as the demon made one last lunge at Angel. "Angel! Look out!!"  
  
Angel dodged to the side, avoiding the demon's attack, but stepping right into the path of Buffy's. Her sword connected with the side of his head as he moved in front of her, the blunt side leaving an instant welt. Angel dropped to the ground, unconscious next to the dying demon.  
  
"Oh my god! Angel!" Buffy cried out and rushed to his side.  
  
Cordelia looked on in shock. She wasn't shocked that Buffy had knocked Angel out, or that she had run to his side, she was shocked by the fact that Buffy seemed to have completely forgotten about the demon that had tried to kill them; the demon that was now creeping closer and closer to Angel's unmoving body.  
  
Cordy picked up Angel's discarded weapon and chopped off the demon's head, causing it to stop moving permanently. She wiped the slime that had flew onto her face and glared at Buffy. "I can't believe you."  
  
"What's that suppose to mean?" Buffy asked, glaring back.  
  
"First, you go and knock out Angel, way to go by the way, and then leave the demon slayage to me. Okay, not Little Miss Likes to Slay here," she snarked, pointing to herself. "You do your own slaying from now on. Better yet, do your own luring too. Being around you is too dangerous to the health of my wardrobe."  
  
Buffy stared at Cordy dumbfounded. Angel was knocked out and all she could think about was her clothes? "Listen Cordy-" she started, standing up and taking a few steps toward the other girl.  
  
"Spare me Buffy. I don't wanna hear your sob story about your poor precious Angel being more important than me. Heard it a million times already. Getting pretty old. I wonder how Angel can stand to listen to the same old things over and over again? Face it Buffy, you're really repetitive."  
  
"Where'd you learn such big words like that Cordy?" Buffy shot back.  
  
"What are you trying to say Buffy? That I'm dumb?"  
  
"I don't have to say it. You just said it for me."  
  
That was all it took. Cordy flew into a rage and attacked the blonde slayer with everything she had. She knew she was no match for Buffy's slayer strength, but she'd never have a chance to use it if Cordy was tearing out all of her hair.  
  
The two struggled and Buffy tried desperately to get a hit in in order to get Cordy off of her, but the brunette held fast to her hair. Buffy fell to her back and rolled, throwing Cordy over her head. She could have sworn she felt a chunk of hair being ripped from her scalp.  
  
Cordy let out a yelp and landed hard on top of something. When she opened her eyes and looked down, she was staring into Angel's intense, brown eyes. "Hey! You're awake!"  
  
"Hey Gorgeous," he answered, giving her a sly smile.  
  
Cordy was taken aback. She'd had plenty of dreams, day and night, of Angel calling her that, but never dreamed they would come true. "Are you delirious or something?" she asked skeptically.  
  
"Angel!" Buffy cried out in joy. "Oh, I was worried that I'd really hurt you!"  
  
Angel looked at Cordelia and smiled again at the sight of her face. She was the single most beautiful thing he had ever seen. Her skin was like porcelain, her hair a dark river, rippling with soft waves, her eyes sparkling like a million stars on a hazel blanket, and her smile lit up the darkest places inside of him. "You are so beautiful."  
  
Buffy looked down at him in disbelief. Was he really telling Cordelia she was beautiful? "Angel?" she asked, her voice weak.  
  
Angel glanced up at Buffy again and then let himself drown in the pools that were Cordelia's eyes. "Who's the scrawny blonde?"  
  
TBC?  
  
So, should I continue? Does it have potential or should I just flush it with the million drafts of part 7 of "The Horror of Amusement" that I've written lately? 


	2. part two

Title: Fragile Memories Author: Lilyana lilyana_vamp@yahoo.com  
  
Disclaimer: Whedon, Greenwalt, ME, all them, not me  
  
Summary: Answer to a challenge given to me by tipdip. Cordy has a crush on Angel, but he and Buffy can barely tolerate her presence. Angel loses his memory and then the fun begins.  
  
Couple: B/A (not for long, I promise!), C/A  
  
Rating: R  
  
Category: Season 3 BtVS. Adventure. Romance. Not sure what else yet. Spoilers: None A/N: Dedicated to maynard punkface for being my stalker and demanding that the next part be put up immediately, if not sooner!!  
  
Part two  
  
Buffy looked down at her boyfriend who was wearing Cordelia Chase, and liking it! "Scrawny? Where the hell do you get off saying I'm scrawny!?"  
  
"Hey, if the shoe fits."  
  
"Shut up Cordelia!"  
  
"Oohh, someone's got her panties in a twist." Cordy grinned at Buffy. She was enjoying this way too much. She had finally come out on top of Buffy. Actually, she was quite literally on top of Angel, which was in no way a bad thing. She looked down at the vampire beneath her and melted at the look of entrancement on his face. "What is your deal? You look like someone waved a magic wand in your face or something."  
  
"You are so beautiful."  
  
"Yeah, you said that already." Buffy glared at the two, her words dripping with venom.  
  
"But you can never hear it too much," Cordelia smiled.  
  
"Come on. We need to go see if Giles can fix this."  
  
"I don't think anything needs fixing Buffy. I think Angel is just finally seeing things as they are."  
  
"Shut up Cordelia. I don't need you rubbing it in." Buffy grabbed Angel's arm, pulling him to his feet and sending Cordy tumbling to the ground beside them.  
  
"Hey!"  
  
Angel shrugged Buffy off of him and reached down to help Cordy up. "That was uncalled for. What did she ever do to you?"  
  
"Where to begin." Buffy was angry and hurt and confused. How could Angel suddenly decide that Cordy was better than she was? iIt has to be memory loss, because Angel would never chose Cordy. Of course, he did kiss her.oh god, stop thinking Buffy!/i She watched in disgust as her boyfriend wrapped his arm around Cordy's waist, pulling her as close as he possibly could. "Let's go."  
  
********************************  
  
Angel and Cordy followed a few steps behind Buffy. He nibbled at Cordy's ear and nuzzled her neck as they walked and she giggled loudly. Buffy wanted to vomit.  
  
"Come on you two. We're almost there; can you please knock off the PDA? It's just disturbing." When she didn't get an answer, she turned around half expecting to see the two of them pressed up against a wall groping at each other. Instead she saw nothing. No Angel. No Cordelia. No groping. "Thank god for small favors. Where are you guys? This isn't funny!" she called into the darkness.  
  
*************************************  
  
Cordelia stifled a giggle at the sound of Buffy calling them, but Angel continued to pull her down the side street. "Where are we going?"  
  
"Home."  
  
"Not my home!" she told him seriously.  
  
"Of course not, my home."  
  
"Ugh, that creepy old mansion?"  
  
Angel looked at her with a puzzled expression. "No, my apartment. What mansion?"  
  
"Apartment? Apartment good. Mansion bad. Okay, let's go!" Cordy quickened her pace to catch up. "So, what have you got in mind?" she asked cluelessly.  
  
Angel gave her his sly grin once again and pulled her through the door. He led her to the bedroom and spun around, suddenly assaulting her lips with his own. He ran his hands over her body, taking in every delicious curve and tangled them in her long brown hair.  
  
They stumbled towards the bed, neither of them wanting to break their hold on the other. Angel pushed Cordy backwards onto his bed, breaking her fall with his own arm. He maneuvered himself so that he had full access to the beautiful girl beneath him.  
  
Cordy felt his lips brush her ear and her entire body broke out in chills. She shuddered at the sensation of his cool breath against her fiery hot skin. He ran his tongue down the length of her neck and nipped playfully at her shoulder. He pulled the delicate strap of her dress down with his teeth, and did the same with the other side.  
  
Angel grinned as Cordy's body arched into him, inviting him to touch her, taste the salty goodness of her skin and he obliged. He pulled the slinky material off of her and lowered his head, taking an exposed nipple into his mouth. He heard her moan as he rolled it between his teeth and he reached a hand up, grasping the other nipple with a little pinch. Cordy gasped and her hips began to gyrate against him.  
  
He smiled at the sensation he was causing in her and pulled his hand away from her now rock hard nipple. She whimpered until she felt it tug at her panties. Once he was through the barrier of lace, he twirled his finger in her curls, smelling her arousal becoming stronger and stronger. She bucked against his hand as he brushed her nub lightly and he increased his torture of the nipple he held prisoner in his mouth.  
  
She uttered something between a plea and a demand as he continually brushed his finger against her, teasing her, causing her to thrust her hips against him over and over. Finally he obeyed and let his finger slid into her hot, wet core. She moaned in pleasure as he rubbed her with his thumb before letting another finger slid inside.  
  
Cordy writhed underneath him as he left her nipple and made his way down her stomach, leaving a moist trail with his tongue. Cordy protested when his thumb stopped it's sweet torment and then gasped as she felt his cool tongue flick at her hyper-sensitive nub. He furiously pumped his fingers inside of her and his tongue matched the action on her clit.  
  
He could smell her orgasm creeping closer and closer, the smell intoxicating him as he worked his magic on her firm, perfect body. He sucked her into his mouth, rolling her around and pressing his face deep into her. She bucked wildly against him and then suddenly pulled away. He growled at the denial of her orgasm.  
  
"No, we can't."  
  
He propped himself over her and looked down at her with an annoyed expression. "Why not?"  
  
"Okay, because one, hello, not looking to be the cause of releasing the big evil that is you on a bad day, two, because you don't even remember that you're with Buffy, not me, three, because Buffy.need I say more, and four, this is where you and Buffy.ewww much!!" iDammit! Why do I suddenly have to be mature and unselfish and so not like me!!/i  
  
Angel gave her an exasperated look and rolled to his side. "I don't understand you."  
  
Cordy pulled her dress back over her head and raised an eyebrow to him. "What's that suppose to mean?"  
  
"You're getting all wet for me and then suddenly make me stop because of some blonde you have made clear you don't care too much for? Why do you care about her?"  
  
"I don't care about Buffy. I care about.you." She looked at him shyly. "If we're going to, you know, then I don't want it to be when you don't remember who everyone is. I want it to be when you know exactly who I am, and exactly who Buffy is, and then you can make your decision."  
  
He smiled at her and licked his fingers. "Why would I ever choose her over something so delicious as you?"  
  
She smiled back. "You'd be surprised how dense you can be. Now come on, we need to get to the library before Buffy sends out a search party.or a lynching party."  
  
************************************  
  
"I'm not kidding Giles. If it hadn't been for the blessing of clothing, they'd probably have been getting busy right there on the street!"  
  
"I can do without the graphic images, thank you Buffy. I'm not sure what I can do to help."  
  
Buffy glared at him in disbelief. "Fix him!"  
  
"I think he works just fine," Cordy spoke up as she and Angel walked through the library doors. The scoobies looked up at them suspiciously.  
  
"Don't tell me you." Buffy started, her voice full of repulsion.  
  
"Oh please! I'm a little smarter than isome/i people in here. I don't go around sleeping with soulled vampires and releasing their inner demons." No sense in letting them know how far things had gotten before she stopped it. What would be the point?  
  
Giles eyed Angel cautiously and then motioned for the two newcomers to sit down. He examined the vampire's head, noting the large bump that was still evident on the side of his skull.  
  
"I think this is just a case of memory loss due to the blow he received from that demon Buffy. Nothing magical or mystical."  
  
"Demon? The demon didn't knock Angel into happy land! Buffy did!" Cordy cried out accusingly and Buffy glowered at her. "I can't believe she was trying to make you all believe that she was little miss innocent!!"  
  
Buffy glanced around at the looks of shock on her friends' faces. "What? It was an accident!"  
  
"Buffy, next time, make sure you give me the full details if you want me to help," Giles sighed in disappointment. "Since this was merely an act of getting hit on the head, I'm assuming we just need to wait for his memories to be triggered once again."  
  
Buffy watched as Angel stood behind Cordy and wrapped his arms around her waist. He rested his chin on her shoulder and began to nibble hungrily at her ear causing her to squeal and laugh.  
  
"Great. I don't know how much longer I can watch this Skinemax presentation without hurling." 


	3. Remembering

Title: Fragile Memories Author: Lilyana lilyana_vamp@yahoo.com  
  
Disclaimer: Whedon, Greenwalt, ME, all them, not me  
  
Summary: Answer to a challenge given to me by tipdip. Cordy has a crush on Angel, but he and Buffy can barely tolerate her presence. Angel loses his memory and then the fun begins.  
  
Couple: B/A (not for long, I promise!), C/A  
  
Rating: R  
  
Category: Season 3 BtVS. Adventure. Romance. Not sure what else yet. Spoilers: None A/N: None that I can think of right now.  
  
Part 3 Remembering  
  
Cordelia drove toward home after the others demanded that Angel stay with them so they could 'figure things out'. She was disappointed that she didn't have her newfound man to ride with her. She always had known she could steal him away from Buffy if he'd just notice her, and she was accomplishing it, until the scoobies interfered. "And I woulda gotten away with it too if it weren't for those meddling kids."  
  
She looked at the large house with its security gate enclosing it safely, it's lush, green grass, and it's lonely, dark windows. It had been too long since life had inhabited her childhood home. Her heart ached at the thought of leaving it again without going inside. "Why did Daddy have to screw things up for us? And why did they have to leave me without anything?" she asked herself, the tears rolling down her cheeks.  
  
She drove around to the back of the house and hid her car in the shelter of the trees and locked her doors tightly. She crawled into the back seat and tried to make herself as comfortable as possible, squeezing her eyes shut, willing the tears not to come again. She knew it wasn't safe to sleep in her car, hiding in the dark in Sunnydale, but what choice did she have? She couldn't let anyone know that she had nowhere to live and that all her remaining belongings could fit into the trunk of her car. That would be social suicide.  
  
***********************************  
  
Angel managed to slip out of the library without anyone noticing him and he was relieved. If he had had to stay there one more minute with that slayer and her groupies, he would have snapped. All she could do was go on and on about how great she was at slaying vampires and demons. The last thing he wanted to hear was how great she was at killing his kind. Sure, he may not be a threat to her, but he didn't want to listen to her brag all night.  
  
He looked around the parking lot for Cordelia, but she was long gone. He could have killed the Harris kid for the sarcastic things he was saying to her. If they didn't think Cordy belonged with them, then neither did he. He wanted to be wherever his Cordy was.  
  
He followed her scent, walking at a brisk pace. He in no way wanted her to be alone at night in this place. He might not have remembered who everyone was, but he knew that Sunnydale was no place to go for a leisurely nighttime stroll. Her scent led him down an unfamiliar path and he found himself standing in front of a very large house surrounded with a fence. He easily scaled the walls and walked to where the scent was the strongest. He looked up at the window that he thought housed his Cordelia and vaulted up to the balcony. Upon peering inside, he knew his instincts were wrong.  
  
The room was empty, bare, lonely. It smelled of Cordy, but there was nothing of her in there. The walls were plain white and the plush carpet was indented where her comfortable bed used to sit. The empty closet seemed to cry out for her. The whole house seemed haunted with the essence of the Chase family, but now just the ghosts of life remained.  
  
As he leapt to the ground and peered through the kitchen window, he noticed a forgotten fork laying on the floor, and in the living room, a plant was wilting, begging for water and sunlight. He would imagine Cordy living in this house, laughing and smiling, but now there was nothing but darkness.  
  
He looked around at the backyard, progressively becoming over grown with weeds and sensed something hiding in the trees. He walked toward the source of his suspicion and was surprised to see Cordy's car; he was even more surprised to see her sleeping in the backseat. Why was she sleeping in her car? Why wasn't she with her family, in her nice warm house?  
  
He knocked on the door lightly, not wanting to frighten her, but he failed miserably. The scream that escaped her lips was audible, even for human ears. She sat upright and looked shakily out the car window.  
  
As her eyes met Angel's, she didn't know whether to be scared or angry or relieved. She was petrified of sleeping outside in Sunnydale and knew that Angel would protect her, but she didn't know if she wanted Angel to know about her situation. What if he got his memory back? He'd go and tell Buffy and the others and then Xander would blab it all over Sunnydale High. She'd be ruined.  
  
"Are you trying to scare me to death?" she asked, her fear disguised in venom.  
  
"What are you doing Cordelia? What is going on?" Angel asked straightly, motioning to the dark house.  
  
"Oh, that? It's nothing," she tried to shrug it off, but could see the vampire was having none of it.  
  
"The truth Cordy, and now." His voice was firm and ungiving.  
  
Cordy suddenly couldn't keep it in anymore. She wanted, no she needed to tell someone, and who better than Angel? He'd suffered being homeless; he'd know what to do. The words came pouring out of her mouth, followed by her betraying tears. She hadn't wanted to cry in front of him, but she couldn't help it.  
  
Angel listened in stunned silence as the beautiful rich in girl in front of him told him that she had nothing, that it had all been taken away and her parents had taken off, leaving her to fend for herself in not only a cruel world, but an even crueler town. His heart ached at the sight of her tears and he sat in the backseat of the car beside her, holding her gently in his strong arms.  
  
"Why don't you come back to my apartment? You can't sleep in your car. It's not safe."  
  
"I can't Angel. Not after we almost."  
  
"I'll make a deal with you: you come back to my apartment where I'll know you're safe, and I'll go to the mansion. I vaguely remember something about it. You need to be somewhere safe, and here isn't it." Angel wasn't about to back down and Cordy could sense it. She nodded slowly and wiped her tears from her cheeks.  
  
"I don't want the others to know Angel," she pleaded.  
  
"I won't tell them."  
  
***********************************  
  
Cordelia looked around at the sparse apartment and cringed. Angel had good taste, but he needed more in the way of decorations. It just seemed kind of bare. She turned as Angel brought in the box that contained what was left of her life as she knew it and felt like crying all over again. How could Queen C end up like this?  
  
Angel sensed her shame and set the box down in the bedroom. He walked back out and took her into his arms. "You don't have to be ashamed Cordy. You didn't do anything wrong. I don't think of you any differently than I did before."  
  
Cordy was relieved to hear him say those words to her. She didn't want him to think less of her know that she was broke. She leaned into his chest and let out one single sob. She then picked up her head high and smiled at him. "You know Angel, you're the greatest. You let me kick you out of your bed and take over your home just like that," she said and snapped her fingers. "I don't know how I can every thank you, as cliché as that sounds."  
  
"Will you let me love you?"  
  
"Huh?" Cordy looked at him in shock.  
  
Angel sat down and pulled her down beside him. "Cordy, I know that you said I was in love with Buffy before whatever happened happened, but I have to be honest with you; I don't want to be without you. I don't want to get my memory back if it means that I can't be with you anymore. You make me feel human, more human than I've felt in centuries. I think I'm falling in love with you Cordelia Chase," he confessed and leaned in to kiss her.  
  
Cordy welcomed his lips on her own. She lost herself in his kiss, willing herself to become part of him. She felt his hands roam her body, trying to map out every inch of it and she arched against him. As his lips traveled down her neck, her 'not-a-good-idea' sensor went off. "Angel," she gasped and pulled away.  
  
Angel wanted to be angry with her, but he couldn't. He couldn't be angry at those sparkling hazel eyes, or that flowing mahogany hair, or those full, plump lips that looked like they had been kissed by cherries. Angel ripped his eyes away from her voluptuous body and stood up shakily. "I.I should go." After everything those kids had told him tonight, he knew that making love to Cordelia was the last thing he should do if he was trying to keep her safe.  
  
Cordy nodded and followed him to the door. She smiled and pushed him out as he dove in to kiss her again. "None of that mister. I'm a proper young lady. You've escorted me home, now you need to go away," she winked at him and he growled, half angrily, half good-naturedly.  
  
"Good evening M'lady," he bowed before her. She curtsied and closed the door. Angel looked at the solid wood and wondered if she would sleep any better than he would. He knew that sleep was going to be difficult, as wound up as he was now.  
  
********************************  
  
Cordy shut the door in Angel's face and leaned her back against it. She wondered if he'd sleep any better than she would tonight. She walked in and looked at the bed, not overly fond of the idea of sleeping in the same bed that her Angel and a certain blonde slayer had occupied, but her bones were weary. The thought of a real bed was too much for her to fight.  
  
She collapsed on the bed and drifted off into a restless but wonderful sleep.  
  
*********************************  
  
iHis hands were cool against her skin and she arched her body, giving him full access to all she had to offer. She dragged her fingernails down his back, leaving red welts in their wake and her groaned in pleasure. His fingers and teeth teased her nipples, torturing them ever so sweetly and she pleaded incoherently. She needed him. She needed him inside of her now./i  
  
"Cordy? Cordy, are you okay?" The voice ripped her out of her dream, and she was none too happy about it. She rolled over in the bed and pulled the pillow over her head, hoping that the intruding noise would go away and let her pick up her dream where she had left off. It didn't. She threw the pillow at the door and groaned when she heard it open.  
  
"Cordy!"  
  
"What?!" She rolled over in the bed to see Angel standing there, Buffy beside him. She knew something wasn't right. As her gaze traveled down, she noticed their hands entwined together. Something in her stomach churned and she bit back the tears at the realization: nothing was wrong, they were right. They were the way they were supposed to be again. Angel remembered that it was Buffy that he loved, not her the way he had said the night before. Cordy didn't think a heart could break into so many pieces.  
  
"Buffy said you didn't go to school today. We were worried."  
  
Cordy plastered on her trademark smile and shook her head. "Nothing wrong on the home front. Just catching up on some sleep! Thanks for letting me crash here after my car broke down," she lied too chipperly and jumped out of the bed. She grabbed her things and rushed out the door before anyone could say otherwise.  
  
Buffy turned to Angel. "That was odd.even odder for Cordelia anyways."  
  
Angel nodded. When Buffy hugged him, he returned her embrace, but something didn't feel right. It felt as though he would crush her body if he squeezed too tightly. She didn't have that deliciously perfect figure of the girl he had held the same way the night before, that of Cordelia Chase.  
  
******************************  
  
Cordy cringed as she saw Buffy and Angel walk into the Bronze together. It had been a few hours since she'd left them all staring after her and she was in no rush to see them again. She stood up and tried to make a quick exit, but Angel caught up with her.  
  
"Cordelia, where are you going?"  
  
"Oh geez, I don't know Angel. How about somewhere without all the drama that is you two?" she snapped and tried to pull herself out of his grip.  
  
"You don't have anywhere else to go. I know. Here." He handed her a key and she looked at it with a puzzled expression. "It's the key to the apartment. Stay as long as you need to. I'll be at the mansion."  
  
Cordy wanted to throw the key back in his face but she knew he was right. She took it from him and turned on her heels, her hair flying in his face.  
  
He watched the girl walk away from him and part of him wanted to run after her and take her into his arms, but the other part knew that his girlfriend was waiting for him at a table, waiting to pick up their life where it had left off. He made his way back to the table and gave Buffy a smile.  
  
"It's good to have things back to normal, isn't it?" she asked with a bright smile of her own.  
  
He noticed the smile didn't seem nearly as bright as that of another's. "Yeah, good," he answered uncertainly. 


	4. Let Me Show You the Stars

Title: Fragile Memories Author: Lilyana lilyana_vamp@yahoo.com  
  
Disclaimer: Whedon, Greenwalt, ME, all them, not me  
  
Summary: Answer to a challenge given to me by tipdip. Cordy has a crush on Angel, but he and Buffy can barely tolerate her presence. Angel loses his memory and then the fun begins.  
  
Couple: B/A (not for long, I promise!), C/A  
  
Rating: R  
  
Category: Season 3 BtVS. Adventure. Romance. Not sure what else yet. Spoilers: None A/N: Should there be more or should it end here?  
  
Part 4 Let Me Show You the Stars  
  
Cordelia didn't want to get up and face the world again, but she did anyways. The sooner she graduated, the sooner she would be away from Buffy and the rest of the loser league. More so, she would be away from Angel. She would rather never see the vampire again in her life.  
  
She shuffled to the bathroom and put on her clothes. "Time to wake up Queen C for another day at Sunnyhell High," she told herself and then screamed in frustration. "Would it kill the vampire to invest in a damn mirror? I mean god, at least be courteous to your houseguests!"  
  
She picked up her backpack and keys, making certain that she slammed the door behind her. iHe can't hear you slam the door stupid, he's somewhere getting all cozy with Buffy!/i She cringed at the thought of the petite blonde. Could she really face her this morning?  
  
***********************  
  
Cordy had succeeded in avoiding the library and the entire Scooby gang until after last period. As she tried to make her escape, Xander grabbed her by the arm and dragged her into the depths of hell, otherwise known as the school library.  
  
"Xander Harris, get your grubby little paws off of me!"  
  
"Chill Cordy, we have a surprise for you."  
  
"Cordelia, good, you're here," Giles smiled as she was pulled through the double doors.  
  
"What's going on? I have one of those things known as a life. You guys wouldn't know anything about that," she insulted and looked away when her eyes met Angel's.  
  
"We just wanted to show our appreciation for you Cordy," Willow began. "Angel told us everything and we just wanted you to know-"  
  
"He WHAT?!" Cordelia glared at Angel angrily. How could he betray here that way?  
  
"He told us how you convinced him to go back to the mansion. It was a great idea. When he got there, he remembered everything! And it's all thanks to you!" Buffy exclaimed excitedly.  
  
"Yippee. Score one for the home team," Cordy answered sarcastically and turned away from the group, walking back out into the hallway.  
  
"She didn't seem very happy about the appreciation party," Willow observed.  
  
"Oh well, bring on the food!" Xander attacked the bowl of chips without mercy.  
  
"She's.had a lot on her mind," Angel told the others and stared at the doors. He felt like he should go after her, but he knew that she probably never wanted to see him again. "I played her and now she hates me. I can't really blame her though," he muttered to himself.  
  
"What?" Buffy asked with a smile.  
  
"Oh, nothing," he answered with a forced smile of his own.  
  
*********************  
  
Cordelia opened the apartment door and threw the keys across the room. They appreciated her? She couldn't give a damn about their appreciation. She wanted her life back. Could they give her that out of appreciation? She wanted Angel back. There was no way in hell Buffy appreciated her that much.  
  
She walked to the bathroom, dropping her clothes as she walked. She needed a shower. She needed to wash away any lingering thoughts about Angel.  
  
*********************  
  
As Angel sat beside the fireplace, his thoughts continually drifted to the beautiful, dark-haired girl that had lit up his dark life. He knew he should be thinking about Buffy, but the other seemed to haunt him. He could still taste her and her scent seemed to linger everywhere around him. He had to stop feeling this way, the guilt that overpowered him. There was only one way to get Cordelia Chase's haunting presence out of his mind.  
  
*********************  
  
Cordy had decided after fifteen minutes that the shower just wasn't doing it. She'd decided on a bath, and that's where she'd been for two hours, occasionally re-heating the bath water. She let herself sink into the sweet smelling bubbles and willed her tears away, but as usual, they didn't listen.  
  
The salty liquid streamed down her face of their own accord. She had lost her entire life as she knew it, and when it seemed that something was going right again, he had to go and get his memory back. What was worse was that it was iher/i that had sent him to the place that had triggered his memories  
  
i"When he got there, he remembered everything! And it's all thanks to you!"/i  
  
"Great job Cordelia. Drive Angel right back into Buffy's arms." She let herself sink further into the bubbles and tried to block out life as she knew it, but something caught her attention. She heard a knock at the bathroom door and then saw something slide underneath it. She stood up and grabbed her towel, wrapping it loosely around her dripping body, and she walked to the door. She stood over the small white envelope for a moment, staring at it, contemplating whether she really wanted to open it or not. She reached down with wet finger and picked it up. She carefully removed the card from its home and looked at it. In beautiful handwriting it told her to open the door.  
  
She hesitated for a moment and then obeyed the carefully penned command. Upon opening the door, she was shocked by what greeted her. There, in what used to be a sparsely decorated living room was a beautiful Victorian sofa and matching period accompanying furniture. On top of an ornately carved table was another envelope.  
  
"Go to the kitchen."  
  
Cordy again obeyed, and as she walked into the kitchen, she saw the table set for two in the finest china and crystal, two tall candles in the center of the table, held in pewter holders. Propped up against one of the fragile looking glasses was yet another envelope.  
  
"Go to the bedroom."  
  
Cordelia gasped as she entered the bedroom. Where Angel's bed had once been was another. It was a beautiful, cherry colored, four-poster bed. It had lush velvet covers that kept the deep red, satin sheets warm and waiting for her. On top of the matching nightstand was a beaded lamp that cast a warm, inviting glow throughout the room. She looked over to see the vanity in the corner and sat herself in front of it.  
  
Resting on the vanity was an antique hairbrush made out of the finest silver, with a matching comb, hand mirror, and platter to place them all on. She picked up the brush and felt the soft bristles and fingered the delicate flowers on the back. In front of the mirror was a small box and another envelope.  
  
"Open the box."  
  
Inside the blue velvet box was a necklace made up of diamonds and sapphires. It sparkled like nothing Cordelia had ever seen before. "Oh." she gasped, her fingers trembling at the sight of the jewels.  
  
"I couldn't stop thinking about you," she heard him say from behind her but she didn't dare turn around. She was afraid that she might wake up from this wonderful dream. "Everywhere I turned, you were there, in the moon, in the stars. I looked at this necklace and was reminded the way that your eyes sparkled when you looked at me." He took the necklace from her trembling hands and placed it around her neck. She watched in the mirror as it seemingly floated of its own will around her neck. He moved her sopping hair to give her a better view and kissed her neck lightly. "Memories are fragile Cordelia, but I never want to forget what we had.and what I hope we might have."  
  
Cordy turned in her seat and looked at him. "Am I dead?"  
  
"No, why?"  
  
"Because this would only happen in heaven."  
  
"Then welcome to heaven Cordelia Chase. I'll make every day heaven for you if you'd give me the chance."  
  
"What about.you know who?"  
  
"I told her how I felt.that I love her, but it's you that I'm in love with. You made me feel things in a couple days that Buffy didn't make me feel in three years. I love you Cordy." He tucked a wet strand behind her ear and looked at her questioningly.  
  
"I.I love you too Angel." She let him kiss her, opening herself up to his embrace. He picked her up and carried her to the new bed. She felt the velvet caress her skin much in the same way that he did. He unwrapped the damp towel, exposing her to his passionate gaze. He kissed her sweetly scented skin, inhaling her scent deeply before kissing his way down her neck. He brushed his lips against her nipple, causing it to harden instantly. She squirmed beneath him in anticipation and then in sorrow.  
  
"We can't Angel. The curse thingy."  
  
"All taken care of." He pulled a small bottle out of his pocket. "Mystical contraceptive. Perfect happiness doesn't have to equal evil Angelus."  
  
Cordelia grinned mischievously and grabbed the back of his head, pulling him forcefully to her. She kissed him as passionately as he had her and then gripped the bottom of his shirt, pulling it quickly over his head. The solid, white chest in front of her, seemingly made of marble, enthralled her. It was cold and hard to the touch, yet also warm and giving. She traced her finger along the lines of his muscles and smiled at the sensation in caused in him. He shivered and growled and then smirked as she fumbled with his pants. He sat up, separating himself from her long enough to remove the remainder of his clothing and then rested himself back on top of her.  
  
She could feel his hardness pressing into her thigh, asking her permission to make all her dreams come true. She slowly, shyly spread her legs, inviting him in to herself, knowing full well that now Angel was going to know something else about Queen C that no one else did.  
  
As Angel slid inside, he felt the hotness penetrate through his cold skin, and he felt the tightness. He looked into Cordelia's eyes and knew instantly that she was giving him something she had given no one else. He gently moved deeper into her, being careful not to hurt her and she gasped at the sensation of him filling her. He felt her fingernails dig into his back, drawing beads of blood as he rocked softly, working his way until he couldn't go any further. He kissed her soft lips, reassuring her that everything would be okay, he would take care of her forever.  
  
Cordy moaned as Angel moved in and out of her in a steady, slow rhythm. Her head rolled to the side and she saw how he had carefully placed the candles around the room. He had wanted to make things perfect for her, and he had succeeded. Coherent thought was becoming increasingly more difficult as Angel picked up his momentum. Cordy matched his movements and wrapped her arms around him, holding him tight to her.  
  
"Let me show you the stars," he whispered as he felt her moving closer and closer to orgasm. "Be with me."  
  
"I am. I'm with you," she gasped as her body began to quiver and shudder uncontrollably.  
  
Angel felt her inner muscles begin to tighten around him and he picked up his pace. He took her mouth in his as he felt her legs shake and then watched as her eyes rolled back and a scream escaped her lips.  
  
Cordy had never felt anything so amazing. She felt as if her life were ending, like she was slipping away from herself and the only thing holding her safely were Angel's arms, which were holding her tightly as he continued to move inside her slick, silken channel. As her eyes involuntarily closed, she saw the stars burst behind them, blinding but entrancing her. And then it passed and she floated back into her body, back into Angel's strong, loving embrace.  
  
As she opened her eyes and brought his mouth back to hers, Angel felt his own climax approach. He began pumping at a furious pace before he let out a growl from deep within his throat, his eyes flashing yellow.  
  
He collapsed on her small, heaving chest and brushed her still damp hair from her face. He rolled them so that she was now on top of him, her fiery skin resting on his cool body and he ran his hands along her bare back.  
  
"I saw them Angel. I saw the stars."  
  
"Those were only the beginning, Princess."  
  
TBC or The End? 


End file.
